Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter Morning In The Chapel

Happy Easter To All

In the Middle Ages in Northern Europe, Easter came at the End of the Long Harsh Winter, and the Season of Lent was a season of natural deprivation and Fasting. This Must have Magnified the importance of a message of Eternal Life and Re-birth, arriving with the return of Spring and the planting season. There was HOPE after All! In such a spirit I will take you to my Castle Chapel where the humble Castle folk are observing this Ancient Holy Day.....
I had HOPED to be able to show you some more of the Chapel ceiling painted.... but Alas, I have not finished it in time. The only thing I have to show you are the addition of a few Treasures for the Altar. You can barely see them in this photo.... but there is a small silver Cross-shaped Reliquary which is rumored to hold a sliver of the Real Cross.... it is hinged and opens to a small cavity inside for keeping priceless treasures! And the other Treasure is the Open Book I won from Erica Van Horn for helping her with a name for her shop..... it is Exquisite! (Thank You Erica!!!)

But it is Night here in the Castle Chapel.... Easter Eve, if you will.... and the Candles are lit in the Chapel while the devout keep their Vigil through the Night. In these times before the invention of Clocks to tell time, the Day was counted from sunset to sunset, with the Evening or Night part preceding the Day. Thus "A Night and a Day" meant the full cycle that we now call twenty-four hours. This explains why the "Eve" of so many Holidays is when the Holiday Begins!
So, here in the Chapel it is Night and those who await the Dawn are thinking about the Crucifixion and the Suffering of the Beloved Christ.......
Gazing on the painting on the Chapel wall....
And Wondering about the Miracle that follows....

Perhaps the humble folk catch a glimpse of the Gilded pages of the open Book on the Altar, and even though they cannot READ, or even understand the Words spoken in Latin that are read by the Learned Clergy...... they cannot fail to feel the AWE that the PICTURES and tales inspire.....

Perhaps Some of the Castle Folk are Keeping the Vigil through the night with Chanting and Prayer......

And PERHAPS some of them only arrive at the earliest Hours of Dawn to keep the Watch....

When the Candles of the Chapel are Extinguished and ALL the World is in DESPAIR........ and Hoping for that first light of Dawn...... do YOU see it just faintly lighting the windows? And DID you hear the First Bird of the Dawn Chorus?????

And the MOMENT when the Sun rises over the horizon and strikes the Chapel Windows.....

The MOMENT we have ALL been waiting for! As the light streams into the Chapel....

And SHINES upon the Painting of the Crucified Jesus.... as though to say.. "I have NOT died! Look around you! You ARE forgiven!"

And the Reader gazes, transfixed and humbled by the Beauty before him, and proclaims ....
"He Is Risen!"

And while I know that Easter Dawn reaches MOST of you well before it reaches this side of the World... I thought you would still like to see this Glimpse....
Easter Morning In The Chapel

13 comments:

  1. Gorgeous! When I saw the link I thought it was a life size people church. LOL! Fabulous work!
    Caroline

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  2. Happy Easter Betsy. I wish I could see the pictures better, i am 1500 miles from home on a tiny netbook, I can't wait to get home and see this on my computer.

    Hugs
    Victoria

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  3. Such a beautiful Easter morning Betsy! The book looks wonderful, I would love to see it in a better light, but I love the ambience in these photos! And interesting background facts too, especially abut the night and day. I have thought it had to be like that, but didn't know it for a fact.
    I had a lovely Easter morning too, not so tranquil as yours, but in a church in Stockholm with lots of other people and where the choir finished the mass by singing the Halleluja choir from Händel's Messiah! So beautiful and very moving!(I must admit to some tears)

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  4. Thank you soooo much for this Easter morning in your beautiful chapel Betsy! Love it!:)

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  5. Your chapel is gorgeous! Fabulous pictures!
    I'm glad to know someone else out there has read the 'Country Bunny' story. It has to be the cutest Easter book ever!
    Mercedes

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  6. Thanks, Caroline! That is the Highest Praise a mini-maker can receive! I am glad you could join me!

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  7. Hi Victoria! Happy Easter to you too! I am sure it is not entirely the small screen's fault you cannot see the pictures well enough.... it's ME and my MOOD pictures.... you know, the dim light of a chapel lit by candlelight..... I am a sucker for the mood of it! I will try to post some really well lit photos someday....!

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  8. Hi Helene! Happy Easter! I'm glad you could join me... and that you had the rousing Hallelulia Chorus for your Easter Morning!
    I will have to post better photos soon... I get absorbed by the MOOD I am showing... but you all deserve to see the items clearly too!! I will have to show them off better!
    As for the Histoy of things... just one of my passions, being a Medievalist, I am constantly aware of how differently the people thought and lived back then..... most people today just can't imagine how different the world was.... don't get me started LOL!!
    I am so glad you enjoyed Dawn in my Chapel!

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  9. Thank you, Ewa! It is MY pleasure! I am so glad you could join me for Easter Morning in the Chapel! Isn't the internet just GRAND? Here we are, all over the world, having a peek into each others' tiny Worlds!!

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  10. Thank you, Mercedes! I'm so glad you could stop by!
    I was so amazed to see that story on your blog.... it is truly one of the Favorite stories of my childhood! It is old fashioned and not very well known.... but as you say... the illustrations are so cute as is the story! Your mini version is just Delightful!

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  11. Your chapel is incredible...!! Congratulations and happyEaster...Hugs. Maria

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  12. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee!
    Your blog makes me religious, like the Messiah does - I forgot to listen to it this year. Better late than never. Your chapel is inspirational. (Did you know that in Aramaic, Jesus' language, Breath and Spirit meant the same thing? Think about the word "inspirational.")
    Lots of love. So glad my computer is back!
    Mom

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  13. My dear Betsy, your night chapel has to be one of the most enchanting one in Blogland. The picture with the back of the head of the priest (?) is so realistic. Success, my dear friend and congratulations for having done such an amazing amazing job with this chapel.

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